Creative Ways to Establish a More Eco-Friendly Household

Taking care of the earth is our responsibility. And as many people started to realize the sheer magnitude that their habits may have on the earth, a whole movement towards sustainability and eco-friendly living has taken root in society.

For a long time, humanity’s social and technological advancements have been pushing it towards progress, including way back when people’s main focus was on survival. But as we have become more advanced in terms of the structure of our society, new issues have come up, threatening not only our lives as they are now but the future of all of humanity.

But who exactly is responsible?

Though many people point fingers at large corporations and consumerist culture that has prioritized efficiency and profits over sustainability, it is also society as a whole that has allowed for such environmentally dangerous practices to prevail.

And even though it may seem that as individuals, our personal lives have little impact on the overall state of the Earth, the movement towards sustainable living has recognized that the collective shift towards eco-friendly habits can actually have a huge impact – and the only way to do that is to start with each individual person.

After all, even though our behaviors may have little difference, it is more about changing the dominant mindset in our cultures and in society that have led to and created our current situation.

The problem is a lot more complicated than just using unsustainable products. It is also about changing our ways and how we think so that we can build into our lives more sustainable ideas and practices. From there, our society and economy will have more impetus to also be more reflect the demands of our more sustainable and eco-conscious society.

But of course, it isn’t easy. First of all, old habits die hard – and they can be especially difficult if you don’t live in an environment with the resources to help you make your shift. Secondly, switching to a fully-sustainable life is hard, because there aren’t more sustainable substitutes for many things that we consider necessary. And thirdly, investing in eco-friendly products can be expensive, and not everyone can afford it.

Though the number of sustainably-conscious products and companies is increasing, there is still a lot of room for improvement and growth. As such, if you tried to be completely sustainable right now, you’d probably have to get a bit creative and innovative.

We can’t always rely on having eco-friendly products readily available, and so it’s time that we take some of it into our own hands, curating our own sustainable lifestyles.

But how do you go about doing this? What steps can you take right now to contribute to sustainable efforts?

Well, here are a few suggestions:

Bringing reusable bags to the grocery store

Bringing a tote bag or any other kind of reusable bag is an easy way to start cutting down on plastic. Not only are tote bags more sustainable, but they also typically have a larger capacity than grocery bags and are more sturdy, so that you don’t have to worry about them breaking on you.

Some states started charging customers small amounts for using plastic bags. But if you live in a place that doesn’t you should still consider switching over. It’ll make grocery shopping both more eco-friendly and easier too.

Eat more plant-based foods

You don’t have to become a vegetarian or vegan to be more sustainable. But cutting down on the consumption of animal products can be very beneficial for the planet. Animal products typically require a lot more resources, including water and grain, to produce.

Switching to a more plant-based diet can also be better for your health in the long run. Eating things like fresh fruits, nuts, and vegetables can provide low-calorie and often high-density nutrients that taste just as good as animal-products.

Buying in Bulk

Buying in bulk is a great way to cut down on (1) packaging plastic and (2) emissions from running errands. Investing in larger capacities of materials often uses less plastic, because there is less packaging needed per unit mass of the product. Think about it like buying individually wrapped toilet paper versus buying a whole pack of toilet paper.

Also, if you buy in larger quantities at once, you’ll need fewer trips to the grocery store, slowing reducing your emissions every week. (It will also save you time so that you can do more things that you would rather do!)

Refillable soap dispensers

A lot of people don’t realize how much plastic goes into their everyday products like soap, shampoo, conditioner, and toothpaste. As such, buying these kinds of products in bulk and using them to refill a dispenser can cut down on a lot of packaging waste.

There is a large variety of refillable dispensers already on the market. And if this is something that you think could be readily implemented into your lifestyle you should go for it. Calculate your carbon footprint before you travel

Travelling is so much fun, and people look forward to it every year. But getting on a plane and traveling around a new state, country, or even continent can lead to a lot of emissions.

Luckily, there are sites that you can use to actually estimate your carbon footprint. This can help you make better traveling decisions and reduce your impact on the environment.

Be more thoughtful about what’s necessary and what’s not

Lastly, one way to cut down is to live more minimally. A lot of waste comes from our demand for unnecessary and resource-consuming products. As such, by limiting yourself to buying fewer items that you don’t actually need or just being more conscious of your purchases, you can help reduce waste.

So, if you’ve noticed a trend in sustainable living, it’s for a good reason. And there are a lot of ways that you can do your part and contribute to a more eco-friendly society, namely by having more sustainable living habits.

But if you weren’t sure about how to go about this or about what practices are more sustainable, hopefully, this helped. Any combination of these measures is a beneficial step for our planet, so if you haven’t already, you should try them out!

About

Welcome to Zoo Too! I’m Andrea and this blog is all about family and mommy-hood. I cover most daily topics of life in suburbia, cooking, kids, adventures, crafts, travel and the more grown up stuff like DIY, home decor, finances and much more!